Ordering potential leads in a lead queue system for a pool of one or more representatives

Abstract

A system and method to prioritize leads for a pool of representatives is presented herein. Leads have corresponding lead profiles stored or referenced in a lead queue system. Each lead profile includes data that indicates how likely the corresponding lead is to purchase a good or service, or to take an offer. The lead queue system orders lead profiles, such that the highest lead profile corresponds to the lead that is estimated to be the most likely to purchase a good or service, or to take an offer. A lead profile may be updated automatically based, at least in part, on the actions of the corresponding lead. Additionally or alternatively, a lead profile may be updated manually by a representative, manager, or someone other than the corresponding lead. In response, the lead queue system updates the order of the lead profiles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 maintaining a queue of a plurality of queue entries, each of which corresponds to a particular lead of a plurality of leads to be contacted about a particular subject;   maintaining, for each queue entry of the plurality of leads, a lead score that reflects how much interest the particular lead has demonstrated in the particular subject;   wherein the plurality of leads include a first lead and a second lead;   wherein the queue includes a first queue entry for the first lead and a second queue entry for the second lead;   wherein a first lead score is maintained for the first lead, and a second lead score is maintained for the second lead;   receiving input indicating performance of a first activity by the first lead;   in response to receiving input indicating performance of the first activity by the first lead, updating the first lead score by a first amount;   wherein the first amount is based, at least in part, on how much interest performance of the first activity demonstrates in the particular subject;   in response to updating the first lead score by the first amount, changing the position of the first queue entry in the queue;   receiving input indicating performance of a second activity by the second lead;   in response to receiving input indicating performance of the second activity by the second lead, updating the second lead score by a second amount;   wherein the second amount is based, at least in part, on how much interest performance of the second activity demonstrates in the particular subject;   wherein the second amount is different than the first amount;   in response to updating the second lead score by the second amount, changing the position of the second queue entry in the queue;   wherein the method is performed by one or more processors.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 in response to a request, by a representative, for a lead to contact about the particular subject, performing the steps of:
 determining a highest priority queue entry, from the queue, based on the positions of the plurality of queue entries within the queue; 
 determining a highest priority lead based on the highest priority queue entry; 
 as a response to the request, returning data that identifies the highest priority lead. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 after updating the first lead score and the second lead score, the first queue entry is higher in the queue than the second queue entry; and   the method further comprises:
 receiving input indicating a third activity by the second lead; 
 in response to receiving input indicating the third activity by the second lead, updating the second lead score by a third amount; 
 wherein the third amount is based, at least in part, on how much interest performance of the third activity demonstrates in the particular subject; and 
 in response to updating the second lead score by the third amount, changing the position of the second queue entry in the queue to cause the second queue entry to be higher in the queue than the first queue entry. 
   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving input indicating which stage, in a multi-stage process, each lead of the plurality of leads is currently at;   wherein the position of each queue entry of the plurality of queue entries, within the queue, is based, at least in part, on which stage of the multi-stage process, the corresponding lead is currently at.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 receiving input indicating that the first lead submitted an application;   in response to receiving input indicating that the first lead submitted the application, updating a stage value, associated with the first lead, that indicates the first lead submitted the application;   updating the position of the first queue entry in the queue based, at least in part, the stage value.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 in response to the request, dequeuing the highest priority queue entry from the queue;   wherein the highest priority lead is the first lead;   receiving input from the representative indicating which stage, in a multi-stage process, the first lead is currently at;   in response to receiving input indicating which stage the first lead is currently at, updating a stage value, associated with the first lead;   enqueuing a new queue entry that corresponds to the first lead;   updating the position of the new queue entry in the queue based, at least in part, the stage value.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the request is a first request;   the representative is a first representative;   the highest priority lead is the first lead;   the method further comprises:
 in response to the first request, dequeuing the first queue entry from the queue; 
 in response to a second request, by a second representative, for a lead to contact about the particular subject, performing the steps of:
 selecting the highest priority queue entry, from the queue, based on the positions of the plurality of queue entries within the queue; 
 in response to the second request, returning data that identifies the highest priority lead, which corresponds the highest priority queue entry; and 
 wherein the highest priority lead is the second lead. 
 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving input indicating an appointment time for the first lead;   changing the position of the first queue entry in the queue based, at least in part, on the appointment time and a current time.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 receiving input indicating that the first lead lives within a distance of a particular location;   in response to receiving input indicating that the first lead lives within the distance of the particular location, updating the first lead score by a third amount;   wherein the third amount is based, at least in part, on the distance;   in response to updating the first lead score, changing the position of the first queue entry in the queue.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving input indicating that the first activity performed by the first lead comprises selecting a link. 
     
     
         11 . One or more non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause performance of a method comprising:
 maintaining a queue of a plurality of queue entries, each of which corresponds to a particular lead of a plurality of leads to be contacted about a particular subject;   maintaining, for each queue entry of the plurality of leads, a lead score that reflects how much interest the particular lead has demonstrated in the particular subject;   wherein the plurality of leads include a first lead and a second lead;   wherein the queue includes a first queue entry for the first lead and a second queue entry for the second lead;   wherein a first lead score is maintained for the first lead, and a second lead score is maintained for the second lead;   receiving input indicating performance of a first activity by the first lead;   in response to receiving input indicating performance of the first activity by the first lead, updating the first lead score by a first amount;   wherein the first amount is based, at least in part, on how much interest performance of the first activity demonstrates in the particular subject;   in response to updating the first lead score by the first amount, changing the position of the first queue entry in the queue;   receiving input indicating performance of a second activity by the second lead;   in response to receiving input indicating performance of the second activity by the second lead, updating the second lead score by a second amount;   wherein the second amount is based, at least in part, on how much interest performance of the second activity demonstrates in the particular subject;   wherein the second amount is different than the first amount;   in response to updating the second lead score by the second amount, changing the position of the second queue entry in the queue.   
     
     
         12 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , the method further comprising:
 in response to a request, by a representative, for a lead to contact about the particular subject, performing the steps of:
 determining a highest priority queue entry, from the queue, based on the positions of the plurality of queue entries within the queue; 
 determining a highest priority lead based on the highest priority queue entry; 
 as a response to the request, returning data that identifies the highest priority lead. 
   
     
     
         13 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein:
 after updating the first lead score and the second lead score, the first queue entry is higher in the queue than the second queue entry; and   the method further comprises:
 receiving input indicating a third activity by the second lead; 
 in response to receiving input indicating the third activity by the second lead, updating the second lead score by a third amount; 
 wherein the third amount is based, at least in part, on how much interest performance of the third activity demonstrates in the particular subject; and 
 in response to updating the second lead score by the third amount, changing the position of the second queue entry in the queue to cause the second queue entry to be higher in the queue than the first queue entry. 
   
     
     
         14 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the method further comprising:
 receiving input indicating which stage, in a multi-stage process, each lead of the plurality of leads is currently at;   wherein the position of each queue entry of the plurality of queue entries, within the queue, is based, at least in part, on which stage of the multi-stage process, the corresponding lead is currently at.   
     
     
         15 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , the method further comprising:
 receiving input indicating that the first lead submitted an application;   in response to receiving input indicating that the first lead submitted the application, updating a stage value, associated with the first lead, that indicates the first lead submitted the application;   updating the position of the first queue entry in the queue based, at least in part, the stage value.   
     
     
         16 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the method further comprising:
 in response to the request, dequeuing the highest priority queue entry from the queue;   wherein the highest priority lead is the first lead;   receiving input from the representative indicating which stage, in a multi-stage process, the first lead is currently at;   in response to receiving input indicating which stage the first lead is currently at, updating a stage value, associated with the first lead;   enqueuing a new queue entry that corresponds to the first lead;   updating the position of the new queue entry in the queue based, at least in part, the stage value.   
     
     
         17 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the request is a first request;   the representative is a first representative;   the highest priority lead is the first lead;   the method further comprises:
 in response to the first request, dequeuing the first queue entry from the queue; 
 in response to a second request, by a second representative, for a lead to contact about the particular subject, performing the steps of:
 selecting the highest priority queue entry, from the queue, based on the positions of the plurality of queue entries within the queue; 
 in response to the second request, returning data that identifies the highest priority lead, which corresponds the highest priority queue entry; and 
 wherein the highest priority lead is the second lead. 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the method further comprising:
 receiving input indicating an appointment time for the first lead;   changing the position of the first queue entry in the queue based, at least in part, on the appointment time and a current time.   
     
     
         19 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the method further comprising:
 receiving input indicating that the first lead lives within a distance of a particular location;   in response to receiving input indicating that the first lead lives within the distance of the particular location, updating the first lead score by a third amount;   wherein the third amount is based, at least in part, on the distance;   in response to updating the first lead score, changing the position of the first queue entry in the queue.   
     
     
         20 . The one or more non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 12 , the method further comprising receiving input indicating that the first activity performed by the first lead comprises selecting a link.